Fairfax County man dies in house fire

A Fairfax County man died in a fire in his Bailey's Crossroads area home Saturday morning, but seven other residents escaped without injury, Fairfax fire officials said.

The fire was reported shortly before 6 a.m. at a single-family house in the 3700 block of Paul Street, just south of Leesburg Pike. Fire spokeswoman Renee Stilwell said that when firefighters arrived they saw smoke coming out of the front door, and the seven occupants who escaped standing outside.

The fire had occurred in the basement, and firefighters extinguished it, Stilwell said. When they searched the house, they found the man, who has not been publicly identified yet. Two dogs also died in the fire, Stilwell said.

The occupants all are related, Stilwell said. Damage to the house was estimated at more than $50,000.

No cause of the blaze was immediately determined, and Stilwell said she could not say whether the fire was suspicious. Fire marshals and police detectives were investigating the cause and circumstances of the blaze Saturday morning.